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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737465">Locked Hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/watcher_ofthe_sky/pseuds/watcher_ofthe_sky'>watcher_ofthe_sky</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Angsty Ship (Jelray) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Jellal x Gray | Jelray Week 2020, Jelray Week, M/M, angsty (TM) blue ship, day 3: lock, jelray</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:54:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>753</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737465</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/watcher_ofthe_sky/pseuds/watcher_ofthe_sky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jellal doesn't need to keep his heart locked. He would always have Gray. His safety. His freedom.</p>
<p>Little did he know that their love would become the anchor which will pull down Gray.</p>
<p>Written for Jelray Week 2020 hosted by @jelrayweek on Tumblr. Day 3, prompt: Lock</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jellal Fernandes/Gray Fullbuster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Angsty Ship (Jelray) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Locked Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Jelray Week 2020 is being hosted by @jelrayweek on Tumblr from April 13 to 19. Check out the blog if you are interested.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>“And this,” Gray whispered over Jellal's lips, trailing his hand down to his chest and tracing the skin where Jellal's heart is, “—is where I'll always stay.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I should keep it locked then, huh?” Jellal asked with a lazy smile. He cupped Gray's face in his palms. “I don't want to lose you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“As if that can ever happen,” the ice mage laughed and that sound melted all of Jellal's defenses.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When it's them, he doesn't feel the need to build thicker walls and cage himself behind iron bars.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He felt free.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>(If there even is something like that for a criminal like him.)</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Right. That can never happen,” Jellal replied and closed the distance between them with a kiss.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He doesn't need to keep his heart locked. He would always have Gray. His safety. His freedom.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>xxx</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It doesn't work that way, Jellal! ” Gray barked. His body was trembling and he was trying so damn hard to not shed his ugly tears. “You—We—You need to think about us! I can't keep going in circles with you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I am sorry,” Jellal said softly and reached out to hold Gray but the man shrugged him off. Jellal pretended that it didn't hurt that badly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Sorry? You're fucking sorry? Jellal... All I have ever wanted was your time, your presence. I can't keep worshipping this love like a shrine. Jellal, I try. All this time, I have fought against time and stolen these moments of love that we share.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Every day away from you feels like torture. I can wait, Jellal. I really can. But tell me,” he looked up at him, his gaze dark and cold. “Tell me that one day when all of this is over, you'll come back to me and will never go away. I'm tired of being <em>your</em> safety, <em>your</em> harbour. I'm sinking, Jellal....” he slowly slid down against the wall behind him and buried his face inside his arms. “I'm sinking.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jellal did not know what to say to him. Deep inside, he knew that this chase would never end; that even if his sins would get pardoned someday, he would never be able to wash them away from his blood and bones.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Gray deserved better.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don't think,” he said in a raspy voice, devoid of emotions. “You shouldn't throw your life away in the hope of me getting back to you one day. You're right. It doesn't work that way.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Something dark crawled on his chest.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I am your anchor, Gray. I always will be. Get away from me before you start drowning,” he said and closed his eyes. His nails dug deeper into his clenched fist and he was sure that would bleed soon.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not even trying to fight back, huh?” Gray smirked as he slowly raised his face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What's the point?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Because he will hate himself anyway.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh, well, I don't know. Maybe our love is supposed to be the fucking point,” Gray spat. “I'm tired of you trying to run away every damn time.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jellal shrugged, “It's the only thing I know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Because if he will run far away, maybe he will never have to face himself again.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You'll get tired one day,” Gray said and thudded his head on the wall.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jellal sighed and sat down beside him; a hot tear slowly rolling down his cheek.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That's okay.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Because this is something he has learned to live with ages ago.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I really love you, you know?” Gray said in a broken voice. “But...you're slipping away and I don't know how to hold on to you. It's making me think th-that this love isn't.... isn't even real.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The heavenly body mage only focussed on the pain stinging his palms.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Because how can he convince Gray that this love he has for him is the only thing which has ever felt real.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We cannot live like an illusion, Jellal.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Gray was crying quietly, his knees drawn to himself and chin resting on them, eyes red and puffy.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jellal took a shuddered breath. “I'm sorry.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He wanted to cry out loud too, but it was going to be futile at the end, wasn't it? Mourning wasn't meant for people like him. He could only bury his grief inside himself even if there wasn't any room to breathe.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He has to carry the weight of his sins.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He just never thought that a broken heart would be one of them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Suddenly, Gray gave a hollow laugh. “Maybe you should've locked your heart, after all.”</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am tired and I don’t know what this is, but jelray makes me write which I think is OOC Jellal (and Gray too probably, idk). At least their OOCness is consistent in my interpretation, lol. </p>
<p>Kudos and comments are really really appreciated.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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